IUS 2025: Preliminary Program and Hotel Reservations Now Available
Join us at the next IUS Biennial International Conference in Reston, Virginia from October 24 –26, 2025.
The preliminary program and conference hotel reservations are now available.
2025 conference panels will begin Friday morning, October 24th, with panels both morning and afternoon, and the IUS Welcome Reception and Dinner that evening. The conference concludes Sunday, October 26th at noon.
Future updates will announce the keynote speaker and provide links to conference registration.
If you have any questions or would like to learn about becoming a member of the IUS, please contact the IUS Secretariat at [email protected].
2024 Moskos Award Winner Announced: Alec Worsnop
Date: April 2025
We are delighted to announce Dr. Alec Worsnop as the winner of the 2024 Moskos Prize for his article “The Rebel and the Politician: Developing a Typology of Insurgent Civil-Military Relations.”
Dr. Worsnop’s work extends Civil-Military Relations (CMR) as he explores the complex, fluid and asymmetric insurgent environment. He asks two basic questions. (1) In what ways do insurgent organizations structure and organize their civil-military relations? (2) How might these patterns influence insurgents' pursuit of political and military goals? In this exploratory, theory building exercise he uses the literature to build an innovative typology that combines and intensive form of civilian control, political integration and the degree of military professionalization. Using this framework and analysis of insurgent groups from Vietnam, Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan he found that political integration, a rarely studied form of civilian control in which political decision makers are involved in the details of insurgent military decision making is common in most successful insurgent groups. He concludes by showing how the typology can be used as a springboard for future research on insurgent and state-based CMR in unstable environments. The committee found his work original, ground-breaking, comparative and relevant for theory building.
Alec Worsnop is an Assistant Professor in the School of Public Policy at the University of Maryland, College Park. He directs the Military Perspectives Speaker Series and is a Research Fellow in the Center for International and Security Studies at Maryland (CISSM). His research looks into sub-state conflict, with a particular focus on the internal dynamics of non-state armed actors. Other work focuses on military effectiveness and civil-military relations. His book, Rebels in the Field: Cadre and the Development of Insurgent Military Power, forthcoming from Oxford University Press, investigates the battlefield performance of insurgent organizations. His research has appeared in Security Studies, Armed Forces and Society, and Political Science Research and Methods and has been supported by organizations the Department of Homeland Security's National Counterterrorism Innovation, Technology, and Education Center (NCITE), the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at the Harvard Kennedy School, the Institute for Security and Conflict Studies at George Washington University, the Modern War Institute at West Point, the Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation, and the Smith Richardson Foundation. He holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he was an affiliate of the Security Studies Program. Previously, he worked for a USAID implementing partner conducting business development for assistance programs in Afghanistan and the Middle East.
Many thanks for the dedicated work of the selection committee composed of Dr. John Sibley Butler (University of Texas at Austin), Dr. Bernard Boene (L'Ecole Superieure Militaire de Saint-Cyr) and Patricia M. Shields (Texas State University).
Armed Forces & Society Announces New Editor-in-Chief: Ori Swed
Date: September 2024
This year the IUS is proud to be celebrating the 50th anniversary of our journal, Armed Forces & Society (AF&S). In 2025 Editor-in-Chief Dr. Patricia Shields will retire after more than two decades of excellent service to the journal and our field of research.
The IUS Board of Directors is pleased to announce that Dr. Ori Swed will become the next editor-in-chief of AF&S. Ori is a political sociologist and Associate Professor at Texas Tech University. He has been an active IUS Fellow and a contributor, reviewer, and editorial board member for AF&S.
Swed brings broad interdisciplinary skills, cutting-edge research, and entrepreneurial experience to this editorial role. His background includes publishing, research, and teaching in sociology, political science, international relations, mathematics, data science, security studies, and terrorism studies. His work addresses emerging trends in our field, such as the outsourcing of war, drone technology, and cyber operations. In 2017 Swed founded the Peace, War, & Social Conflict Laboratory, which promotes experiential learning by involving undergraduate and graduate students in active research projects.
The AF&S editor-in-chief transition period will include an overlap in 2025 to ensure a smooth transition.
If you’d like to connect with Swed in person, he will be participating in the upcoming IUS Canada Conference at Carleton University in Ottawa, 25-27 October 2024 (registration is open now: https://www.iusafs.org/ius-canada-region/) and at the next IUS international conference 23-26 October 2025 in Reston, VA, USA.
We would like to thank the following members for their service on Editor-in-Chief advisory search committee: Pat Shields, David Segal, Richard Chasdi, Morten Ender, Lindy Heinecken, Rene Moelker, Brenda Moore, Don Travis, and Jeremy Teigen.
Please join us in congratulating Swed on his new position and extending our best wishes as he prepares to assume his new responsibilities: [email protected].
Exploring the Nexus of Military and Society at a 50-year Milestone
Date: June 2024
The latest issue of the US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters contains an article by Pat Shields, editor-in-chief of Armed Forces & Society. In "Exploring the Nexus of Military and Society at a 50-year Milestone," Shields traces the history of the military & society field of study using the 50-anniversary of Armed Forces & Society as a touchstone. The article highlights the important role of IUS and its founder, Morris Janowitz and traces the evolution of the field. It is filled with the accomplishments and achievements of IUS members and Armed Forces & Society contributors.
Armed Forces & Society 50th Anniversary: 1974-2024
Founded in 1974, Armed Forces & Society is the leading peer-reviewed, interdisciplinary, and international journal publishing on military establishments, civil-military relations, the use and limits of force in armed conflict and peacekeeping operations, security, and other related topics. In 2024, the journal celebrates its 50th anniversary with a series of special anniversary articles which will all available online before being consolidated into a special anniversary print issue provided to all IUS Fellows as part of their membership.
Ryan J. Burch Joins IUS Board of Directors as Executive Director
Date: November 2023
The IUS Board of Directors is proud to announce that Ryan J. Burch has joined the Board as Executive Director of the IUS.
Ryan is a seasoned professional in the realm of anti-financial crime, currently serving as Vice President for the Financial Intelligence Unit at Deutsche Bank. With an extensive career spanning renowned financial institutions, both domestic and foreign, Ryan has honed his expertise in critical areas such as anti-money laundering, anti-fraud, and global sanctions.
Having contributed his skills to industry giants like JPMorgan Chase, Western Union, and USAA, Ryan's journey has been marked by a commitment to maintaining the integrity and security of financial systems worldwide. His experience also includes multiple consulting engagements and extends beyond borders, including a significant stint in Saudi Arabia, where he navigated the complexities of the international financial security landscape. Beyond the financial realm, Ryan's career intersects with the complex arena of civil-military relations and associated peripheral topics, such as security, governance, and international cooperation.
Ryan's academic journey commenced at Loyola University Chicago under the mentorship of distinguished scholars John Allen Williams and Sam Sarkesian, both former Presidents of the IUS. Delving into Political Science during his undergraduate years at Loyola, he furthered his education with a Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice and a Master's in International Relations from American Military University. He has also earned the distinguished Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist and Certified Fraud Examiner professional designations.
In 2005, Ryan became actively involved with the IUS, initially overseeing conference registration and subsequently shouldering expanding responsibilities over the years. The IUS holds a special place in Ryan's professional and scholarly heart, reflecting his deep appreciation for the critical issues it brings to the forefront of global discourse.
Please join us in thanking Ryan for his continuing service and leadership in the IUS and in welcoming him to this new role.
We would also like to thank Dr. Robert Vitas for his many decades of service to the organization as Executive Director. Vitas is transitioning to the role of IUS Treasurer effective immediately.
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The Charles Moskos Prize is named in honor of Charles C. Moskos, PhD, beloved mentor, friend, and former President/Chair of IUS. This Prize will inspire future generations of civil-military relations scholars by recognizing, promoting, and rewarding annually the best article published by an emerging scholar in Armed Forces & Society.
For more information on the Charles Moskos Prize, eligibility and benefits, click here.
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